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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bass — low music
  4. net — for catching
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. net — after costs
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. net — in sport
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. kick — in football
  11. track — to keep track
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. track — a song
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. track — a path
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bass — the fish
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  24. kick — with a leg

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com